Envisioning Russia: A Century of Filmmaking January 25 – February 14, 2008
Although early film shows took place in Russia soon after the invention of cinema (Maxim Gorky’s book "In the Kingdom of Shadows," published July 4, 1896, is one of the most beautiful early descriptions of cinema), continuous, serious film production was not established in Russia until 1908. Thus, the Russian Ministry of Culture has designated 2008 as the centenary of Russian Cinema. We could have devoted an entire year’s programming to the occasion and still merely have scratched the surface of this most innovative, contradictory and always provocative cinema. Together with our partner, Seagull Films, we focus on the work of Mosfilm, the largest and most productive film studio during the Soviet era, which remains Russia’s most important film institution even today. At its height, Mosfilm was the USSR’s Hollywood, hosting the most popular stars, creating the most lavish productions and generally setting the pace for the rest of Soviet cinema. Eisenstein, Romm, Tarkovsky, Konchalovsky and Shepitko all created masterpieces there, while the extraordinary range of Soviet production was on full display.
Alongside the classics, this commemoration showcases Soviet musicals such as the wonderful Jolly Fellows and the remarkable Tractor Drivers, as well as Soviet “easterns,” action-adventure yarns set in the untamed wilds of Central Asia. Works such as Carnival Night and The Cranes Are Flying heralded the post-Stalinist cultural thaw, while Courier was one of the first films to attempt to capture the then-emerging atmosphere of Glasnost and the Gorbachev moment. Also included is a brief selection of recent films — Cargo 200, Travelling with Pets, and a special screening of Alexander Sokurov’s Alexandra — that together offer a fascinating look at Russian cinema today and tomorrow.
For a listing of the films in Envisioning Russia go to Program Overview.
Click on
Calendar to view the schedule, film descriptions and to purchase tickets online. Our special Series Pass ($40 for the public, $30 for Film Society members ~ limited availability) admits one person to five titles in the series except for the screening of Alexandra at 7:15pm on Sat Jan 26. The pass is available for purchase (cash only) at the Walter Reade Theater box office.
Envisioning Russia is co-presented with Seagull Films in cooperation with Concern Mosfilm. Sponsored by Russian Standard Vodka. Major support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art. Filmmakers’ travel is generously supported by the Trust of Mutual Understanding. Special thanks to Karen Shakhnazarov.
